Democratic 10th District congressional challenger Imani Oakley is panning “establishment Dems” for Tuesday’s results in New Jersey and Virginia.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“The Democratic establishment collapsed under its own top-heaviness Tuesday. Party leaders have continued to put forward candidates that do not speak to the radical change American’s need and deserve,” she said in a statement.
Election Day saw a Democratic rout in Virginia and a narrowly averted disaster in New Jersey, with Gov. Phil Murphy (D) narrowly projected to win after all vote-by-mail and provisional ballots are tallies.
New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3), who held the post since 2010, also suffered a stunning upset against Republican challenger Edward Durr, who reported spending just $153 on his 11-day pre-election campaign finance report.
Oakley also pointed out that some in establishment Democratic circles are jumping to blame progressives instead of analyzing how local electoral machines may have hobbled their own campaign efforts.
“Corporate Democrats are pivoting quickly from Tuesday night’s embarrassing results to blaming progressives for not carrying the party’s gubernatorial candidates across the finish line,” she said.
Instead of playing the blame game, the establishment wing needs to take accountability and actually listen to its progressive base.”
Oakley also contends that Democratic party insiders have repeatedly marginalized progressive Black and brown women in favor of moderate male candidates.
“Establishment Dems worked to undermine India Walton’s victory in Buffalo, played kingmaker for Terry McAuliffe in Virginia, and have constantly attempted to stymie local progressives,” she stated.
“They should not be surprised when progressives, people of color, and the working class don’t come out to vote. It may be too late for the party to learn its lesson in 2021, but they can avoid it in 2022.”
Oakley is set to challenge U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-10) in the June 2022 primary.